I start my plumbing apprenticeship a week from today and I couldn't be more excited. Roger, your videos have been a tremendous help and have made me a lot more prepared for this. Thanks and God bless 🙌
Make sure not to let Em walk all over you. You're there to help, and learn. Not be the work horse and bitch to do every single thing other than the work. Make sure you have a good teacher cause that will discourage you if they treat you poorly. Know your worth buddy and good luck!
@RogerWakefield Thanks again Roger! I am leaving the personal training/physical therapy field and really want to emphasize health for myself and other tradesmen. I am actually starting a channel called "Trade Secrets" where I will document my experience and try and share exercises/habits/nutrition advice that will keep people in the trades from injury and feeling better. :)
@@brandonTHEshiados I appreciate it! My master plumber is a really nice, honest guy with a very reputable business who is very willing to help me learn, so I am blessed in that regard. 🙏
Definitely plumbing. We all need plumbing issues fixed quickly. Electrical problems rarely come up. It is usually additions installations of fixtures. I have been in my house over twenty years and I never had an electrical problem but many plumbing ones. That being said, being an electrician is much cleaner.
I'm seriously considering a career in the trades, and this is the exact same thought I had. I can't remember ever calling an electrician. I've called plumbers plenty of times. Both are important, no question.
You can get either your Journeyman Electrician or Plumbers Papers in the Military if you pick the right MOS/Rating. In the Navy the Seabeas are a natural fit, but many of the sea going jobs also have the same opportunities. The other services also have the same thing. And many more trades are available.. I'm not a recruiter, just a veteran.
I watch all of these guys' channels, and I've learned so much, and when I'm doing basic handy work, I look legit. My family calls me to fix a lot of small stuff. I also fallow Jeff the DIY guy. Lastly, your tutorials' hands-on videos help so much. Thank you, guys. Glade your collaborating
Roger, thank you for your insight, wisdom and passion about the skilled trades, not least, the importance of plumbing. I fought for years during the 90s and late 2000's, working in government, to maintain the integrity of trades work in facilities maintenance. I was lucky but challenged to manage the facilities of a number of state institutions back in the day. It was a dry patch trying to recruit and hire young people into the professions. So, we ended up contracting out many maintenance functions which proved to be unwise. No supervision of the contract and demoralization of the existing work force. In the 2020's, it may be turning around. Registered apprenticeship, vetted trade schools and community college programs will hopefully turn this around. Your channel keeps up the momentum. Thank you.
Love them both, Roger helped me figure out a sewer collapse in my house, and re-pipe the entire thing. That said I am a licensed electrician. Your city can't purify and deliver the water without electricity
About to retire from 20 years in the military. Going to trade school for plumber and electritian. Leaning more towards plumber after watching lots of your vids plumber vs electritian.
I had tried getting into tht last yr around the same time now . Was for hvac but I remember they told me itd be a good 8-9months till nxt . Joined plumbing beginning of this yr and really like it . I didn’t know the plumbers here in atl made pretty decent . I’m a lil north in rome
@@Dragon-hu7pt I really like it. I work as a plumbing service technician currently and make $38.83 an hour. It turns out that our scale went up $1.50 instead of one dollar so the new minimum for Journeymen is $36.58 now. If you were wanting to get into service plumbing with the union, thats probably an easier route to get into than anything else. I know my company (Art Plumbing) needs more service guys and probably the other companies do to. Once you learn service and get good at it, or at least learn the commercial side of it, you will more than likely always make above scale.
In Ann Arbor, MI I think it's $45 for electrician and $43.50 for plumbing. I may be off, I'm going from memory. In Detroit, however it's $50 for electrician and $37 for plumber.
Both are absolutely needed. But the way I see it as far as ESSENTIAL FOR HUMAN LIVING Clean drinking water And sewage waste removal for hygienic living is king. Electricity provides the spark for all our luxury needs. But if we go back to caveman times the #1 thing we can’t live without is water & air (shout out to our hvac boys)
First, love both of your channels and have learned a great deal from both of you. But, lets be honest, if you were to combine both of your skill sets with a HVAC technician you would almost have the basic skills to be a mechanic. 😁 All kidding aside, you both have excellent channels and this was a fantastic collaboration. Take care and be safe!
I will say plumbing will forever be a demand but electrician in the far future may not be cuz of robots they can fix electricity but can’t mess with water🤷♂️
cut off their power for lights(they cannot find their way) cut off power for their pumps, both sewage and potable water, also water heating. the tune would probably change fast. then again, it could be dictated by less plumbers in the area and worse ancient technology requiring more skills and labor.
Ha i might consider this. Electrical engineer here main issue for me is chicago location. Few EE opportunities here so i may pick up a trade to supplement
@@RogerWakefield here's the kicker. Financial advisor. I like my field but I my dad and his dad both did construction in some capacity, and it is in me as well.
Plumbing not even close. I had a 600 sqft ADU being built. Electrical bid was 4300. Plumbing bid was 10,000 The materials can’t be more than 1000-2000 for the plumbing work. Wild stuff.
I’m an hvac tech and if I could do it all over again I would have studied electrical or plumbing and then picked up hvac. I’m hvac and it’s good but wish I knew more about one of the other two. Plus I feel I could always be able to do more work and ofcourse make more money. Luckily in Massachusetts hvac is year round and we get alot of work. I always meet people and work with people that do hvac and plumbing (they make way more money than me lol).
To help others deciding on what they want to do in a career, what trade are you in, how much do you make, how long have you been doing it, and would you recommend others to get in it or stay away from it? Thank You
HVACR, lite commercial, field technician. $33/hr and averaging between 40 to 55 hours a week (on-call rotations, USA SW market). 3 years in the trade. I would recommend people consider HVAC and Refrigeration as a career. Entry level roles are a decent stepping stone to understanding some of the fundamentals; either becoming a preventive maintenance technician or an apprentice would be some examples (if you do become a PM tech, be ready to jump employers when you feel you have learned all that you can from your current one. Otherwise you may end up stuck and will make little progress to actually earning the real money or experiencing the challenges this trade has to offer). Installers also can make decent money while maintaining a more "normal" social life (hours are not very variable) and more times than not, it will be all on the job training. Then there is also trade school, which is the route I choose. With school, it provided me the basic understanding of how HVACR systems operate, electrical basics, and the confidence to apply to a employer and say yes, I do understand what we are looking at. However, if your end goal is to become a service technician, you must be willing to: -Learn while both on the job and at home -Understand the basic principles/practices of a variety of technologies/trades (water, plumbing, electrical, refrigeration, air flow, programming, etc) and be able to apply those principles/practices. *I have heard from other technicians (as arrogant as it can be), "HVACR is the trade of all trades." To some extent, I can agree with this because we really do perform aspects of many other trades. Yes, we are not plumbers, but when it comes time to run a drain line or water line from point A to point B, we are required to know the proper procedure and practice while also understanding when its time to call a plumber. Same thing with electrical. Unless we have a specifically licensed technician, we wont pull wire, but that doesn't mean we are not wiring units as part of a repair or dealing with high/low voltage appliances. In the same regard to plumbing, we have to know when to call an electrician and allow the experts of that field to complete the required work. -Be weather and temperature tolerant (working on a walk-in freezer I can go from temperatures of -20F to 120+ on the roof in the matter of a minute multiple times during a diagnostic and will regularly work in those same temperatures for hours). -Encounter an issue on a unit/manufacturer that you have never encountered without becoming down spirited. Better yet, to actually look forward to these types of calls. Manuals are my best friend, and if your serious about entering this trade, they will be yours too. -Especially when entering the trade; have control over your ego and admit when you dont know something. Develop a resource network you can rely on to ask for help from. Working in the HVACR trade can be very challenging work, but it can be just as rewarding. Additionally, we have huge sectors to work with, ranging anywhere from residential, commercial, and industrial. I would also say that I would not recommend working in this industry. I love my work, but it can be a real beating (I imagine just like any other trade). During season, I regularly work 12 to 18 hour days, worst ones being 24+ hours (rare, but does happen). Depending on the on-call and backlog of work we have, I occasionally wont get a day off for two or three weeks (lack of technicians being the primary cause there). Additionally, the job is can be very laborious. Need to replace a compressor on the roof? Well, there's a lot of tools that need to be hauled up (tool bag, vacuum pump, recovery machine, recovery cylinder, nitrogen, gauges, torches, refrigerant, ropes, extension cords, repair specific components, and in some instances, copper line sets, tubing benders, swag kit, flare kit, chemical cleaners, leak checkers, ice, weather protection, coolers, water, hoses). Also, every job is somewhat separate and unique. When you are first entering the industry you'll find yourself possibly stressing out because you are either over prepared for the repair and therefore created unnecessary work for yourself or completely under-prepared in which case you also just created more work for yourself at best. I love my work and I enjoy this trade. If you choose to look more into this trade, or any other trade for that matter, I wish you the best of luck and hope for the greatest outcome for you. We are all brothers in sweat.
Just got offered a job as a plumber’s apprentice at a very good company . Four dollar pay cut from what I’m doing now. Probably gonna take it despite the pay cut for the long term benefits .
Roger, the best plumber in the trade, but I am here to tell you Electrical always pays more...Go electrical always. Plumber Companies are paying their workers peanuts. It's the old way basically 96 percent of Plumbing companies always pay their workers crappy wages to go with what we play in. Crap. I have been in the plumbing trade for 30 plus years, and the plumber worker bees always are treated like crap and paid poorly.the owners reep the money. The worker bees out in the field at times are feast or famine with checks...this is said for east coast plumbing companies
Jonathan I would argue every trade is paying peanuts right now, in my area electricians are paid less than plumbers unless you get into industrial, both are pretty close though, but still neither one are worth it in my area, Bc most companies don’t want to even let you get to $30 hr in my area, which is absurd, there are low skill entry level jobs paying more than a lot of trades now
I left electrical for roofing for many reasons: 1) no school or tests required for roofing! 2) everyone needs a new roof at least every 15-20 years. Plus repairs in between. 3) large commercial Jo sites sucks. Too much safety and bs. Drug tests are bullshit. None of that is in residential roofing. 4) I went from $21/hr as an electrician apprentice to already have made $120k and it’s June 2023. Way easier to work for yourself as a roofing contractor!
I’ve been thinking about making a transition from garbage truck driver to plumbing. I like my job because it is secure, but I kinda feel like I don’t want driving to be the main thing I do. Also I’ve never really been skilled with my hands, so there’s that.
Most people that get in the trades don't know anything and learn to work with tools as they go. Anyone can learn to do it, you got this Joel, don't let that stop you 💪
Since I was a kid there's always been a stigma coming from our parents/grandparents, so forth, that the trades are "menial, low-paying, mindless" labor. They always use things like "Do you want to become a ditch-digger when you grow up? Stay in school so you can become a doctor, or a lawyer." The same thing applies to fast food. I think it's an incredibly selfish thing because ultimately they just want bragging rights. "My son/daughter is a high-paid New York Lawyer." In addition, you get the surly gatekeeping old-timers borderline abusing apprentices, and new people trying to get into the trades. Those two things plus them being more physically demanding is what's keeping people out of the trades. Society, in it's current incarnation, has taught us the less work you do, the more money you make. A-la the do-nothing executives in large firms that sit in borderline illegally priced office chairs, staring out high-rise windows. I'm 52 now, and wished I would have gotten into the trades because each, and every one of them build real-life skills you can tap into when you want to do things for yourself. Tradesman are asking for astronomical amounts of money to do jobs most homeowners can accomplish for themselves if they put aside their fears, and do it. However, we desperately need tradesman for the things we cannot do ourselves.
Plumbing can beat Electrician at the higher end of the spectrum. Master plumbers, business owner, service calls. Where electricians rule at is apprentice and journeyman. All their entry level jobs pay way more than entry into plumbing. Once you know how to plumb by yourself and acquire jobs, you'll outpace electricians.
plumbing is the most important, electrical is 2nd but pays more, but not as much as the top earners in hvac. only issue is getting to be one of those top earners is a bitch, you need to know everything an electrician knows plus low voltage controls, plumbing if youre in a colder area, the refrigeration cycle, be familiar with building management systems, the list goes on, and thanks to the EPA things change every few years so you cant just get comfortable with what you know, youre always learning new stuff, or being left behind. And unlike other trades your pay stays pretty low for the first couple of years, but then it just spikes up like crazy once everything in the puzzle starts to click. Honestly at the end of the day i feel like every trade pays about the same on the top end once you find your niche.
In my crew the plumber is paid more, not much, 30c/hour, I call it the s#it bonus. We are both needed, plumbing is certainly important, but a lot of it doesn't work with out electricity, something has to pump that water. There is certainly space for women to get into the trades, I'm an electrician, I've thought all along that there is little that I do that a female couldn't, other than occasionally lifting something heavy, but there are smarter ways to do that anyway. We have a female as one of our carpenters, she is very capable of doing the job.
Regarding electrical demand, you guys completely jumped over Electrical Vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrids. There will be a huge demand for upgrading service and installing charging stations. Then there is renewables. More people are going to want to have solar panels and/or batteries. Even if they don't have enough space to be completely independent of the grid, they can reduce dependency. My guess is that lots of companies installing solar and batteries are using specially trained technicians as opposed to journeyman electricians. As for the skilled labor gap, you folks should look up Mike Rowe. His institute has given away more than $1 million to applicants who want to study a skilled trade.
It’s funny they keep saying oh plumbers provide you with essential water & sewage at your house…. How do you think the water and sewage is going to and from each house? Electrical pumps…. You’re welcome.
Depends on your region. Maybe some company could hire you as a helper without experience. If you know a little bit about wrenching on stuff and have drive to learn about the trade it's possible to find a job posting. It doesn't hurt to have taken a course or 2 at a community college.
I second the guy that said trade school. It's great to get your first job and know what your doing. You learn a lot of important stuff In a short period of time.
Hey Rodger what do you think about plumbing engineering ? If I’m working in in residential plumbing and want to do go to school for plumbing engineering would it be worth it or is it a waste of time and money ?
Water pump uses electricity and electricity uses water they go hand in hand how does electricity use water pumped water storage and generation It uses basically a pond that you put to a turbine to make power than when electricity is cheap and no one is using it they pump it back to the top simple
@@RogerWakefield plumbing in general, right at the 5 year mark, side jobs about 8 to 10 months. Mostly small jobs like adding a bathroom to an already existing house or stuff like that. Definitely love what I do but this economy got me money hungry like never before haha
Electrical pays more always,,the plumbing trade is overran and the owners are the big bank rollers. The employees are grunts, unless your a master and the sole owner of the business your getting peanuts..Northern Virginia pays crap. Electrical is where the big bucks are , go union in electrical. Never go plumbing in va, it's a joke unless your the owner. The businesses take everything and pays peanut 🥜
Plumber salary in Wisconsin Average base salary $35.55 per hour (Low $24.60-High $51.36) Electrician salary in Wisconsin Average base salary $29.43 per hour (Low $20.50 -High $42.23) HVAC technician salary in Wisconsin Average base salary $27.79 per hour (low Low $18.47 -High $41.80) Carpenter salary in Wisconsin Average base salary $24.60 per hour (Low $16.28-High $37.16)
Plumbing is getting simpler. Electrical continues to encompass more and become more complicated. God bless plumbers, but electricians are just a little better.
@@RogerWakefield I'm not talking about individual behavior. I also personally know several women in the trade that I work in (Plumbing/Pipefitting). My comment is more of a political comment moreso than an anecdotal one. Here is an expansion of my argument: 1) More women in the workforce (any job/career) = higher supply of workers. Higher supply of workers = depressed wages for everyone. The same argument against immigrants in the workplace as well. 2) The trades are a "rough and tumble" place where tensions are high and words are venom. The larger projects can get quite degerate at times in humor, in physicality, and in maturity. That is no place for a lady. I certainly would forbid my wife and/or daughter from entering into that environment, since as a man, it is my job to protect them. 3) Women have a different role and calling in society than to slave away in the workforce. They are designed to be wives and mothers, and we men need to protect and cherish that. Women in the workforce (with a few exceptions) are forced to betray their femininity and become more like a man when they enter a "man's world". Women are not men and should not be acting as such. Women should be acting like ladies, not like men. 4) More women in the workplace = higher issues with sexual immorality.
According to the Department of Labor, average plumber make 61k electrician makes 82k. Sorry plumbers 😮 are test has a 30% pass rate , plumber test is a 70% pass rate. Not to be mean but it just takes more brains to be a electrician.owning a plumbing company is definitely more profitable but so is a mechanical shop, just doest apply to the workers sadly 😥
@@fixeruppererlook at the percentages of women that are in the trades, and also most of the women that go into trades go into management they know better than to do the low paying trash work
Roger, I attended ForgeNow and even though I watched a lot of your videos for plumbing I decided to follow my love for science and working so I did electrical. Do you know how to get a scholarship to help pay my tuition? Thanks and much love from dallas tx. @RogerWakefield
Meanwhile the adept automotive technician is a plumber, electrician, mechanic and HVAC-R all in one and his paycheck comes with a tub of Vasoline if you catch my drift ☠️ Leaving automotive was the best thing for my bank account. I went into plumbing. You can’t go wrong whether you choose to be a plumber, electrician or HVAC. Just don’t do them all for a fraction of the pay. That industry needs to get their shit together.
Your refrigerator, your water heater uses electricity, the power grid, let’s face it both are needed in our society and both compliment each other, all the trades need the other trades to do what they do
This is true, but times have changed and in our modern world we NEED electricity to keep everything moving. Plumbing and elecitrcal, along with all the trade will always be essential.
I start my plumbing apprenticeship a week from today and I couldn't be more excited. Roger, your videos have been a tremendous help and have made me a lot more prepared for this. Thanks and God bless 🙌
Make sure not to let Em walk all over you. You're there to help, and learn. Not be the work horse and bitch to do every single thing other than the work. Make sure you have a good teacher cause that will discourage you if they treat you poorly. Know your worth buddy and good luck!
Congrats dude, stock up on knee pads ! Protect your back and keep your fingers out of your mouth !
Mostly,,,, take pride in your work !!!!!
I like what this guy said^^^ so I'll add to it! Never stop learning, stretch and stay healthy and be the best you can. Good luck to you Gus
@RogerWakefield Thanks again Roger! I am leaving the personal training/physical therapy field and really want to emphasize health for myself and other tradesmen. I am actually starting a channel called "Trade Secrets" where I will document my experience and try and share exercises/habits/nutrition advice that will keep people in the trades from injury and feeling better. :)
@@brandonTHEshiados I appreciate it! My master plumber is a really nice, honest guy with a very reputable business who is very willing to help me learn, so I am blessed in that regard. 🙏
Definitely plumbing. We all need plumbing issues fixed quickly. Electrical problems rarely come up. It is usually additions installations of fixtures. I have been in my house over twenty years and I never had an electrical problem but many plumbing ones. That being said, being an electrician is much cleaner.
I'm seriously considering a career in the trades, and this is the exact same thought I had. I can't remember ever calling an electrician. I've called plumbers plenty of times. Both are important, no question.
Need electricity to flush that toilet
@@BYOB561no u don’t 😂
@@Dragon-hu7ptyes u do bro 🤦🏿
@@1threat03most just use gravity
Boston, MA Union Journeyman scales-
Electric: $58.28
Plumber: $63.49
You can get either your Journeyman Electrician or Plumbers Papers in the Military if you pick the right MOS/Rating. In the Navy the Seabeas are a natural fit, but many of the sea going jobs also have the same opportunities. The other services also have the same thing. And many more trades are available.. I'm not a recruiter, just a veteran.
I watch all of these guys' channels, and I've learned so much, and when I'm doing basic handy work, I look legit. My family calls me to fix a lot of small stuff. I also fallow Jeff the DIY guy. Lastly, your tutorials' hands-on videos help so much. Thank you, guys. Glade your collaborating
Those are all great people to watch and learn from, thank you for throwing me into that powerhouse group 💪. Thanks for watching
I've been doing the same, and I would like to throw chrisfix into the mix too
Roger, thank you for your insight, wisdom and passion about the skilled trades, not least, the importance of plumbing. I fought for years during the 90s and late 2000's, working in government, to maintain the integrity of trades work in facilities maintenance. I was lucky but challenged to manage the facilities of a number of state institutions back in the day. It was a dry patch trying to recruit and hire young people into the professions. So, we ended up contracting out many maintenance functions which proved to be unwise. No supervision of the contract and demoralization of the existing work force.
In the 2020's, it may be turning around. Registered apprenticeship, vetted trade schools and community college programs will hopefully turn this around. Your channel keeps up the momentum. Thank you.
I respect both trades. I never take them for granted.
Love them both, Roger helped me figure out a sewer collapse in my house, and re-pipe the entire thing. That said I am a licensed electrician.
Your city can't purify and deliver the water without electricity
About to retire from 20 years in the military. Going to trade school for plumber and electritian. Leaning more towards plumber after watching lots of your vids plumber vs electritian.
Where I am in Atlanta, Georgia (LU 72) union plumbers make $35.08 (soon to be $36.08 in August) and union electricians make $36.50
I had tried getting into tht last yr around the same time now . Was for hvac but I remember they told me itd be a good 8-9months till nxt . Joined plumbing beginning of this yr and really like it . I didn’t know the plumbers here in atl made pretty decent . I’m a lil north in rome
@@Dragon-hu7pt I really like it. I work as a plumbing service technician currently and make $38.83 an hour. It turns out that our scale went up $1.50 instead of one dollar so the new minimum for Journeymen is $36.58 now.
If you were wanting to get into service plumbing with the union, thats probably an easier route to get into than anything else. I know my company (Art Plumbing) needs more service guys and probably the other companies do to. Once you learn service and get good at it, or at least learn the commercial side of it, you will more than likely always make above scale.
In Ann Arbor, MI I think it's $45 for electrician and $43.50 for plumbing.
I may be off, I'm going from memory. In Detroit, however it's $50 for electrician and $37 for plumber.
Both are absolutely needed. But the way I see it as far as ESSENTIAL FOR HUMAN LIVING
Clean drinking water
And sewage waste removal for hygienic living is king.
Electricity provides the spark for all our luxury needs. But if we go back to caveman times the #1 thing we can’t live without is water & air (shout out to our hvac boys)
First, love both of your channels and have learned a great deal from both of you. But, lets be honest, if you were to combine both of your skill sets with a HVAC technician you would almost have the basic skills to be a mechanic. 😁 All kidding aside, you both have excellent channels and this was a fantastic collaboration. Take care and be safe!
HA! We were just talking off camera about mechanics not even being a trades job 😂💪 Thanks for watching Mr. Mollet
I will say plumbing will forever be a demand but electrician in the far future may not be cuz of robots they can fix electricity but can’t mess with water🤷♂️
You're on to something there...
Where i am union plumber vs electrician
Plumber gets 55 electrician gets 49.50
cut off their power for lights(they cannot find their way) cut off power for their pumps, both sewage and potable water, also water heating. the tune would probably change fast.
then again, it could be dictated by less plumbers in the area and worse ancient technology requiring more skills and labor.
Ha i might consider this. Electrical engineer here main issue for me is chicago location. Few EE opportunities here so i may pick up a trade to supplement
Making my transition from automotive to plumbing. Pretty confident i can handle it but I'm 38 now, so feel I'm starting kinda late.
You're NOT starting late...I know people that got into the trades a twice your age, you can definetly handle it 💪
Great collaboration! Go E U!
Thinking of making the switch and truthfully cannot decide. I am a journeyman painter right now and just want more responsibility and respect.
Responsibility and respect come with both trades....the real question is which would you enjoy to do more every single day?
I'd like to see a video about making the transition to plumbing in your early 30s like I am planning on doing.
Transitioning from what profession?
@@RogerWakefield here's the kicker. Financial advisor. I like my field but I my dad and his dad both did construction in some capacity, and it is in me as well.
I have lots of videos on getting into the trades. Especially plumbing. Hopefully they are helpful to you
@@RogerWakefield absolutely! Thank you!
First year plumber here all I can say best choice I’ve ever made 💪🏾
2 masters together! ❤❤❤
They both is grate and they definitely need more people
Plumbing not even close.
I had a 600 sqft ADU being built. Electrical bid was 4300. Plumbing bid was 10,000
The materials can’t be more than 1000-2000 for the plumbing work. Wild stuff.
I’m an hvac tech and if I could do it all over again I would have studied electrical or plumbing and then picked up hvac. I’m hvac and it’s good but wish I knew more about one of the other two. Plus I feel I could always be able to do more work and ofcourse make more money. Luckily in Massachusetts hvac is year round and we get alot of work. I always meet people and work with people that do hvac and plumbing (they make way more money than me lol).
To help others deciding on what they want to do in a career, what trade are you in, how much do you make, how long have you been doing it, and would you recommend others to get in it or stay away from it? Thank You
HVACR, lite commercial, field technician. $33/hr and averaging between 40 to 55 hours a week (on-call rotations, USA SW market). 3 years in the trade.
I would recommend people consider HVAC and Refrigeration as a career. Entry level roles are a decent stepping stone to understanding some of the fundamentals; either becoming a preventive maintenance technician or an apprentice would be some examples (if you do become a PM tech, be ready to jump employers when you feel you have learned all that you can from your current one. Otherwise you may end up stuck and will make little progress to actually earning the real money or experiencing the challenges this trade has to offer). Installers also can make decent money while maintaining a more "normal" social life (hours are not very variable) and more times than not, it will be all on the job training. Then there is also trade school, which is the route I choose. With school, it provided me the basic understanding of how HVACR systems operate, electrical basics, and the confidence to apply to a employer and say yes, I do understand what we are looking at.
However, if your end goal is to become a service technician, you must be willing to:
-Learn while both on the job and at home
-Understand the basic principles/practices of a variety of technologies/trades (water, plumbing, electrical, refrigeration, air flow, programming, etc) and be able to apply those principles/practices. *I have heard from other technicians (as arrogant as it can be), "HVACR is the trade of all trades." To some extent, I can agree with this because we really do perform aspects of many other trades. Yes, we are not plumbers, but when it comes time to run a drain line or water line from point A to point B, we are required to know the proper procedure and practice while also understanding when its time to call a plumber. Same thing with electrical. Unless we have a specifically licensed technician, we wont pull wire, but that doesn't mean we are not wiring units as part of a repair or dealing with high/low voltage appliances. In the same regard to plumbing, we have to know when to call an electrician and allow the experts of that field to complete the required work.
-Be weather and temperature tolerant (working on a walk-in freezer I can go from temperatures of -20F to 120+ on the roof in the matter of a minute multiple times during a diagnostic and will regularly work in those same temperatures for hours).
-Encounter an issue on a unit/manufacturer that you have never encountered without becoming down spirited. Better yet, to actually look forward to these types of calls. Manuals are my best friend, and if your serious about entering this trade, they will be yours too.
-Especially when entering the trade; have control over your ego and admit when you dont know something. Develop a resource network you can rely on to ask for help from.
Working in the HVACR trade can be very challenging work, but it can be just as rewarding. Additionally, we have huge sectors to work with, ranging anywhere from residential, commercial, and industrial.
I would also say that I would not recommend working in this industry. I love my work, but it can be a real beating (I imagine just like any other trade). During season, I regularly work 12 to 18 hour days, worst ones being 24+ hours (rare, but does happen). Depending on the on-call and backlog of work we have, I occasionally wont get a day off for two or three weeks (lack of technicians being the primary cause there). Additionally, the job is can be very laborious. Need to replace a compressor on the roof? Well, there's a lot of tools that need to be hauled up (tool bag, vacuum pump, recovery machine, recovery cylinder, nitrogen, gauges, torches, refrigerant, ropes, extension cords, repair specific components, and in some instances, copper line sets, tubing benders, swag kit, flare kit, chemical cleaners, leak checkers, ice, weather protection, coolers, water, hoses). Also, every job is somewhat separate and unique. When you are first entering the industry you'll find yourself possibly stressing out because you are either over prepared for the repair and therefore created unnecessary work for yourself or completely under-prepared in which case you also just created more work for yourself at best.
I love my work and I enjoy this trade. If you choose to look more into this trade, or any other trade for that matter, I wish you the best of luck and hope for the greatest outcome for you. We are all brothers in sweat.
Just got offered a job as a plumber’s apprentice at a very good company . Four dollar pay cut from what I’m doing now. Probably gonna take it despite the pay cut for the long term benefits .
Hey that doesn’t sound like a bad deal, congratulations!!
Roger, the best plumber in the trade, but I am here to tell you Electrical always pays more...Go electrical always. Plumber Companies are paying their workers peanuts. It's the old way basically 96 percent of Plumbing companies always pay their workers crappy wages to go with what we play in. Crap. I have been in the plumbing trade for 30 plus years, and the plumber worker bees always are treated like crap and paid poorly.the owners reep the money. The worker bees out in the field at times are feast or famine with checks...this is said for east coast plumbing companies
Jonathan I would argue every trade is paying peanuts right now, in my area electricians are paid less than plumbers unless you get into industrial, both are pretty close though, but still neither one are worth it in my area, Bc most companies don’t want to even let you get to $30 hr in my area, which is absurd, there are low skill entry level jobs paying more than a lot of trades now
Heck even something like a pump that pumps water needs electricity in order to both work and function.
I left electrical for roofing for many reasons:
1) no school or tests required for roofing!
2) everyone needs a new roof at least every 15-20 years. Plus repairs in between.
3) large commercial Jo sites sucks. Too much safety and bs. Drug tests are bullshit. None of that is in residential roofing.
4) I went from $21/hr as an electrician apprentice to already have made $120k and it’s June 2023.
Way easier to work for yourself as a roofing contractor!
Congrats on earning more for yourself!! That's the eay to do it! Be the best!
@@RogerWakefield Thanks Roger! Thanks for being a positive force for the construction industry! Always great content from your channel!
What market , is high demand . Kinda too old 48 yrs old to start
Where are you located at?
@@limbogt747 TN
I’ve been thinking about making a transition from garbage truck driver to plumbing. I like my job because it is secure, but I kinda feel like I don’t want driving to be the main thing I do. Also I’ve never really been skilled with my hands, so there’s that.
you likely make more per hour than either of the fields, senior levels.
Most people that get in the trades don't know anything and learn to work with tools as they go. Anyone can learn to do it, you got this Joel, don't let that stop you 💪
Stay driving the garbage truck, no security in plumbing.
Since I was a kid there's always been a stigma coming from our parents/grandparents, so forth, that the trades are "menial, low-paying, mindless" labor. They always use things like "Do you want to become a ditch-digger when you grow up? Stay in school so you can become a doctor, or a lawyer." The same thing applies to fast food. I think it's an incredibly selfish thing because ultimately they just want bragging rights. "My son/daughter is a high-paid New York Lawyer."
In addition, you get the surly gatekeeping old-timers borderline abusing apprentices, and new people trying to get into the trades. Those two things plus them being more physically demanding is what's keeping people out of the trades. Society, in it's current incarnation, has taught us the less work you do, the more money you make. A-la the do-nothing executives in large firms that sit in borderline illegally priced office chairs, staring out high-rise windows.
I'm 52 now, and wished I would have gotten into the trades because each, and every one of them build real-life skills you can tap into when you want to do things for yourself. Tradesman are asking for astronomical amounts of money to do jobs most homeowners can accomplish for themselves if they put aside their fears, and do it. However, we desperately need tradesman for the things we cannot do ourselves.
Awesome message.
Glad you liked it
Pro Handyman with limited plumbing/electric licensing needs to be part of this conversation!
Plumbing can beat Electrician at the higher end of the spectrum. Master plumbers, business owner, service calls. Where electricians rule at is apprentice and journeyman. All their entry level jobs pay way more than entry into plumbing. Once you know how to plumb by yourself and acquire jobs, you'll outpace electricians.
Maybe in residential, but on the commercial side I don't know of any plumbers making what the power linemen make…
plumbing is the most important, electrical is 2nd but pays more, but not as much as the top earners in hvac. only issue is getting to be one of those top earners is a bitch, you need to know everything an electrician knows plus low voltage controls, plumbing if youre in a colder area, the refrigeration cycle, be familiar with building management systems, the list goes on, and thanks to the EPA things change every few years so you cant just get comfortable with what you know, youre always learning new stuff, or being left behind. And unlike other trades your pay stays pretty low for the first couple of years, but then it just spikes up like crazy once everything in the puzzle starts to click. Honestly at the end of the day i feel like every trade pays about the same on the top end once you find your niche.
I want to start a plumbing company in a few years thanks to roger Wakefield.
do you have instagram
You should do what you like cos if you like what you do and want to be great the money will follow.
100%!!
I liked the competitive questions 😂
In my crew the plumber is paid more, not much, 30c/hour, I call it the s#it bonus. We are both needed, plumbing is certainly important, but a lot of it doesn't work with out electricity, something has to pump that water. There is certainly space for women to get into the trades, I'm an electrician, I've thought all along that there is little that I do that a female couldn't, other than occasionally lifting something heavy, but there are smarter ways to do that anyway. We have a female as one of our carpenters, she is very capable of doing the job.
I understand about those panels electric guy but when comes today when you have to pay a subscription
Regarding electrical demand, you guys completely jumped over Electrical Vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrids. There will be a huge demand for upgrading service and installing charging stations.
Then there is renewables. More people are going to want to have solar panels and/or batteries. Even if they don't have enough space to be completely independent of the grid, they can reduce dependency. My guess is that lots of companies installing solar and batteries are using specially trained technicians as opposed to journeyman electricians.
As for the skilled labor gap, you folks should look up Mike Rowe. His institute has given away more than $1 million to applicants who want to study a skilled trade.
I'm very familiar with Mike Rowe, he is doing amazing things for the trades
It’s funny they keep saying oh plumbers provide you with essential water & sewage at your house…. How do you think the water and sewage is going to and from each house? Electrical pumps…. You’re welcome.
plumbers get paid more, but electricians can lick their fingers.
😂
Very good video brother g God bless you 🙏😇🙏
Same to you 💪🏻
Ha plumbers make way more!
Is plumber makes more money than electricians or they equal?
I like the the videos of two. I have already follow you both.
Well we appreciate the follow, are you a plumber or electrician?
I'm looking to be a plumbers apprentice/helper but I have no experience. Where should I start?
Pre apprenticeship school
1 year certificate
Call your local union. Put an application in to be a union plumber apprentice.
Depends on your region. Maybe some company could hire you as a helper without experience. If you know a little bit about wrenching on stuff and have drive to learn about the trade it's possible to find a job posting. It doesn't hurt to have taken a course or 2 at a community college.
I second the guy that said trade school. It's great to get your first job and know what your doing. You learn a lot of important stuff In a short period of time.
Hey Rodger what do you think about plumbing engineering ? If I’m working in in residential plumbing and want to do go to school for plumbing engineering would it be worth it or is it a waste of time and money ?
Speaking about having a business in the future
I would think High Voltage Electrician pays more than a plumber or commercial wireman
Think how hard it was and expensive it was to make a phone call from a plane 30 years ago?
Roger the goat Wakefield
As a plumber all i know is 💩 washes off,⚡ doesn't...
💯
I like how clicking on Dustins link directly (description) results into a 404 Not Found
thanks for pointing that out! I think i fixed it
404 "Dustin who?" 🤪 been watching both of them for quite some time, when feel in a plumbing/electrical mood of course.
Water pump uses electricity and electricity uses water they go hand in hand how does electricity use water pumped water storage and generation
It uses basically a pond that you put to a turbine to make power than when electricity is cheap and no one is using it they pump it back to the top simple
Roofing contractors make the most!
You need electricity to pump that water😂 plumbing is more a necessity both sides have valid arguments
hehe. it's hard to find the toilet in the dark, but also hard to pump water without power, at least without non-lazy measures and real labor. LOL
A lot of the times they do balance each other out 😂
electricians may get paid more hourly but plumbers get more work
Definitely plumbing once you add in Side Jobs
Are you doing side jobs often?
@@RogerWakefield probably every other weekend. Or twice a month
Now that’s a man who loves plumbing…how long have you been at it?
@@RogerWakefield plumbing in general, right at the 5 year mark, side jobs about 8 to 10 months. Mostly small jobs like adding a bathroom to an already existing house or stuff like that. Definitely love what I do but this economy got me money hungry like never before haha
Electricity is a necessity in hospitals
The first thing I do every morning is take a dump in the dark
You can get water without plumbing
and electricity
Electrical pays more always,,the plumbing trade is overran and the owners are the big bank rollers. The employees are grunts, unless your a master and the sole owner of the business your getting peanuts..Northern Virginia pays crap. Electrical is where the big bucks are , go union in electrical. Never go plumbing in va, it's a joke unless your the owner. The businesses take everything and pays peanut 🥜
Lol where I’m from Plumbers are paid more. So no electricians are not ALWAYS paid more.
Plumbing is the king you need water to survive
HVAC?
I think I have the answer for you here ruclips.net/video/KuCeQYN99lg/видео.html
Ain't nobody better talk about Dustin's Queen.😂 Keep my Queen's name out of your mouth.
Spoken like a true sparky😅😂
Plumber is easy..
AC
Plumber salary in Wisconsin
Average base salary $35.55 per hour (Low $24.60-High $51.36)
Electrician salary in Wisconsin
Average base salary $29.43 per hour (Low $20.50 -High $42.23)
HVAC technician salary in Wisconsin
Average base salary $27.79 per hour (low Low $18.47 -High $41.80)
Carpenter salary in Wisconsin
Average base salary $24.60 per hour (Low $16.28-High $37.16)
All the Wis plumbers go to ILL to work and Indiana. Especially towns on state lines. Wis is a joke
Plumber make more or more potential? I guess
Plumbing is getting simpler. Electrical continues to encompass more and become more complicated. God bless plumbers, but electricians are just a little better.
You had me until you mentioned more women in the trades. Women in the workforce causes all sorts of issues and is not good.
I know a lot of women in the trades who cause no problems…just because there’s a few bad seeds doesn’t mean they are all bad
@@RogerWakefield I'm not talking about individual behavior. I also personally know several women in the trade that I work in (Plumbing/Pipefitting). My comment is more of a political comment moreso than an anecdotal one. Here is an expansion of my argument:
1) More women in the workforce (any job/career) = higher supply of workers. Higher supply of workers = depressed wages for everyone. The same argument against immigrants in the workplace as well.
2) The trades are a "rough and tumble" place where tensions are high and words are venom. The larger projects can get quite degerate at times in humor, in physicality, and in maturity. That is no place for a lady. I certainly would forbid my wife and/or daughter from entering into that environment, since as a man, it is my job to protect them.
3) Women have a different role and calling in society than to slave away in the workforce. They are designed to be wives and mothers, and we men need to protect and cherish that. Women in the workforce (with a few exceptions) are forced to betray their femininity and become more like a man when they enter a "man's world". Women are not men and should not be acting as such. Women should be acting like ladies, not like men.
4) More women in the workplace = higher issues with sexual immorality.
@@garrettstephens91that is some real dumb reasoning. Just say women in YOUR work environment make YOU feel emasculated and uncomfortable.
@@jocool562dude is tripping.
According to the Department of Labor, average plumber make 61k electrician makes 82k. Sorry plumbers 😮 are test has a 30% pass rate , plumber test is a 70% pass rate. Not to be mean but it just takes more brains to be a electrician.owning a plumbing company is definitely more profitable but so is a mechanical shop, just doest apply to the workers sadly 😥
Let the females dig the trenches
You are implying they don't?
@@fixeruppererlook at the percentages of women that are in the trades, and also most of the women that go into trades go into management they know better than to do the low paying trash work
@@fixeruppererstop the cap. Ain’t no cute girl digging ditches.
You’re making a big mistake advocating for women
🧢
f bomb? reported and dislike
😞
Your the definition of a snowflake ❄️
Roger, I attended ForgeNow and even though I watched a lot of your videos for plumbing I decided to follow my love for science and working so I did electrical. Do you know how to get a scholarship to help pay my tuition? Thanks and much love from dallas tx. @RogerWakefield
Meanwhile the adept automotive technician is a plumber, electrician, mechanic and HVAC-R all in one and his paycheck comes with a tub of Vasoline if you catch my drift ☠️
Leaving automotive was the best thing for my bank account. I went into plumbing. You can’t go wrong whether you choose to be a plumber, electrician or HVAC. Just don’t do them all for a fraction of the pay. That industry needs to get their shit together.
My toilet does not use electricity. We survived for thousands of years that we had plumbing but not lights
Your refrigerator, your water heater uses electricity, the power grid, let’s face it both are needed in our society and both compliment each other, all the trades need the other trades to do what they do
This is true, but times have changed and in our modern world we NEED electricity to keep everything moving. Plumbing and elecitrcal, along with all the trade will always be essential.
@@BetterThanYesterday69 we’ve won wars with electricity the Greeks and the Roman’s had plumbing….
Your RUclips comment and this video need electricity:)
Whoa, whoa,whoa! Two of my favorite tradesman from RUclips in the same video?
Let's goooo! ⚡🆚🪠